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If I had to go in and put a guess on it I would imagine the Cubs would be looking for pitching. They are pretty barren of pitching talent AA or above. So with that said if I was Theo I would try and buy low on Shelby Miller. With his struggles in AAA he has been falling down the list of top prospects in baseball. Pretty certain your FO would say no but that would be where I started. After that I would probably fall to asking for one of Jenkins or Rosenthal with a lottery ticket type of pitching prospect (someone raw with a high ceiling but low floor).

All this being done with the caveat that I am not real familiar with your farm system. So in doing just a little bit of research and using John Sickels mid season report. Is how I came up with the names that I did.

French writer Alexis de Tocqueville warned about when visiting this fledgling democracy in the early 19th century – that this "American republic will endure until politicians realize they can bribe the people with their own money."

Couldn't see them trading Miller in division, he will be a major league starter, he has ace potential but I can't see him as less than a 3 starter. I can't see us trading him in the division

I think it would be pretty stupid for them to trade him at all at this point. This is the first time that I know of that he has faced adversity. That isn't a guy you give up on that quickly. Though if I was the Cubs he would be the first name that came out of my mouth.

French writer Alexis de Tocqueville warned about when visiting this fledgling democracy in the early 19th century – that this "American republic will endure until politicians realize they can bribe the people with their own money."

If I had to go in and put a guess on it I would imagine the Cubs would be looking for pitching. They are pretty barren of pitching talent AA or above. So with that said if I was Theo I would try and buy low on Shelby Miller. With his struggles in AAA he has been falling down the list of top prospects in baseball. Pretty certain your FO would say no but that would be where I started. After that I would probably fall to asking for one of Jenkins or Rosenthal with a lottery ticket type of pitching prospect (someone raw with a high ceiling but low floor).

All this being done with the caveat that I am not real familiar with your farm system. So in doing just a little bit of research and using John Sickels mid season report. Is how I came up with the names that I did.

Most of Shelby's issues stem from being a fly ball pitcher in a homer happy league in a homer happy ball park. His K and BB rates are still there, and his velocity is only down because the organization is making him throw two seamers instead of four seamers. He isn't really low on our totem poll, he is our next starter to get called up.

For Demp, Rosenthall or Jenkins would be available.

In a trade for Demp, I would offer Rosenthall and a High A to Triple A position player at a position the Cubs are weak at that is between the ages of 21 and 24. Ideally, it would be an outfielder since we are stronger there.

I don't think there is any way the Cards and Cubs make any trades together unless it's a one year rental player (Demp could potentially be signed long term, more of a franchise pitcher to the Cubs, so not him) who was only in one city for a few months and that team is out of it, and the other team could use the help for a low level minor leaguer.

I can't see the Cubs and Cards hooking up ever really again...too much negative can happen from a deal.

I feel like Mo would want to sign/trade for RP that will be a fixture in the bullpen next year like getting Scrabble in the deal last year. Fuentes would be cheap and maybe could work out, but I feel like we could do better unfortunately I don't know who that better player might be at the moment. I suppose we could sign him for the minimum and if he blows it for 2 weeks we can always dump him before the trade deadline or after a waiver deal in August.

Interesting to see how the new CBA agreement regarding losing compensation picks will change how teams will act at the trade deadline. I can see less teams willing to deal top prospects unless the player they are getting in return is under team control/ under contract for a few more years/ guaranteed to resign with them after the trade. Hypothetically, in the Cardinals case would it be really worth it to trade Shelby Miller and others for a Grienke or Hamels. I remember reading in a post dispatch article about the one of the reasons why Mo took a risk and went after Holliday was because of being able to get compensation picks if he signed elsewhere. I get the feeling that teams are only going to deal top prospects for sure things now.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak has tapped down expectations the last two years before transacting significant deals immediately before the non-waiver trade deadline July 31. While conceding the need for pitching help, he has tried to prepare the team's fan base for incremental rather than transformational improvement.

Mozeliak likes the idea of creating a cascade effect by acquiring a starter who could then allow for 11-game winner Lance Lynn or rookie Joe Kelly to move to a relief role.

Concern lingers over Lynn's innings load a year removed from his residency in the Cards' bullpen. Deficiencies in the 'pen have created a powerful tug for Lynn's return should the front office locate another impact arm, such as it did last July with Edwin Jackson.

The likely availability of the Milwaukee Brewers' Zach Greinke, the Chicago Cubs' Ryan Dempster and the Philadelphia Phillies Cole Hamels offer huge upgrades but at significant cost to a club no longer willing to deal from its big-league roster.

I'm not sure I want to trade for pitching help if it requires giving up much. I think we could contend this year, especially if we got the right pitching help, but I also don't know that giving up our prospects is worth it.